I recently had a conversation with someone regarding staying on top of personal health and it dawned on me that too many of us are doing just the opposite. A number of us make excuses for avoiding medical check-ups or asking our primary care physicians to explain what they are saying in language that can be understood. We ignore the newly experienced happenings of our bodies and attribute them to, “just getting older.” Whether a random dizzy spell, ongoing heartburn and bloating, swollen ankles, or feeling more tired than usual after regular sleep, too many individuals shrug these off with an “I’ll worry about it later,” attitude. Guess what dear reader? Later has arrived.
As we age, we naturally go through changes regarding hormone production, sleep requirements, muscle development, and nutrition needs. It is inevitable. Other things occur of course, but the key to knowing what any of these changes are, and whether any changes have cause for concern requires communication. Our bodies communicate with us, but do we listen?
Do we make a note to mention things to our doctor? Are we feeling too embarrassed, shy, or guilty to do so? Worse, are we unknowingly sitting on a preventative health issue time-bomb that at some point will be too far developed to remedy? If so, why? Why are we not literally taking our life seriously?
Imagine learning too late that preventative diabetes is your ignored past and Diabetes I or II are forever your future. That the monthly 5-minute breast self-exam you skipped for years could have saved you from an advanced stage cancer diagnosis. Who wants to be in the hospital as a patient thinking back on the constant indigestion never disclosed to your doctor - indigestion that turned out to be gallbladder disease, ulcers, pancreatitis, or worse a precursor to heart attack? Certainly not me, and I hope certainly not you. We need to take charge of our physical health in a way that fosters regular communication with our doctor. We need to do it for ourselves, and for those of us who are parents, we need to do it for our children. We need to be courageous and find out what our changing bodies are telling us and WHY.
So, whether as Dad, you find yourself wearing a few electrodes here or there, or as Mom, you hum a little tune as the MRI magnets do their thing, know that you are a hero by taking charge of your health. If you have no children, you are still a hero. Not just in your life, but in the lives of those who depend on you, and to those who love and care for you. Annual health check-ups are important, so have them. Asking questions about things between those annual doctor visits is equally important, so ask away.
Take charge now - make an appointment with your primary care physician dear reader and know that I am rooting for your good health and wellness always. Good health and wellness of your mind, body, and spirit.
Blessings,
Tasha